The Lovely Leah

I've been blogging for a little over a year now. Like many of you, I started this blog because I wanted to be a part of the online vintage and fashion community that I'd been following for quite a while. I think the most wonderful part of the whole experience is 'meeting' all of you, visiting your blogs and hearing back from you through your comments. I'm so inspired every day by reading your posts, seeing what fascinates you all and what your creativity produces, whether in outfits or in other endeavors.

One of the many bloggers who inspires me is Leah, a wedding and portrait photographer from Manila whose eponymous blog is always a highlight of my days. Fashion-wise, I look forward to seeing how she styles her signature colors: black and white. But Leah's posts are wonderful for reasons that go beyond clothes and personal style. Her posts are so upbeat, she's always smiling in her photos and her blog seems to radiate positivity, while at the same time displaying her fantastic sense of humor. Below the title of her blog on her banner is the saying: 'In love with life...in love with love..." I hear a lot of people saying things like this all the time, but I get the feeling Leah really lives it.

I recently asked Leah if I could ask her a few questions about blogging, photography and her personal style. I was thrilled that she agreed to participate.

1. Could you please describe your personal style? My style is based more on what I can wear given my imperfections. I love oversized clothings and I hate clingy outfits on me. I kinda have a non-existent waistline... I'm just too straight. Can you imagine a bamboo pole... that's how I describe my body. :-)

2. Why did you decide to start your blog? This blog was started because of my photography. Years ago, it was a very popular thing to have a blog for photographers. I joined that wave. But gradually, I've been talking about non-photography related stuff like fashion and my travels. My clients love it more. So now, it's just a fashion blog. I have a separate website to address the photography stuff. If in case you're interested, here is the link: www.studiolcalifornia.com

3. What do you enjoy most about blogging? One word: Friends. I enjoy meeting new friends and I love that I get to connect with all of you even if we are oceans away.

4. I know that since I began posting about a year ago, my style has changed a bit. Have you noticed any changes in your style since starting your blog? I noticed some changes but not about my style. I've been dressing like this for years... I don't want to say for decades for fear of divulging my age. Hahaha! What I noticed is I love my closet more. It's like having a new perspective... the clothes that I have not worn for years have been given a new life.

5. This is a silly question, but if you could have any one item of clothing right now -- Poof! It’s yours! – what would you choose? Just one item? If I could have my wish granted, I would love to own all the bags that I covet from Hermes to Balenciaga to Chanel. Honestly, given a choice between shoes and bags, I'll take the latter anytime.

6. I’m very interested in photography and lighting and was wondering about your career as a photographer. How did you decide to become a wedding and portrait photographer? I studied photography a decade ago. I just wanted to learn how to manipulate the camera . That was during the dawn of the digital age. Then, I was featured in one of the leading papers here in Manila as a photo hobbyist. Then, amazingly, people started calling me to do their portraits and weddings. So that was when I started to do it professionally.

7. For those of us who take our own photos, could you offer any words of advice? This is interesting... I say relax and don't take your pictures when you're tired or sad because it will show in the eyes or in the smile. You don't have to smile in the shoots (like I do all the time) but believe me even if you're not smiling, a happy inner self will radiate in the photos. No matter how fabulous the outfit is, a sad aura will dampen everything.

8. Okay, Last Question. You have such a positive and encouraging presence in the blogging community. Personally, I'm always really inspired by your posts and the comments that you leave (as I'm sure other people are too). Is this something that you've set out to do in blogging? Or is it just a part of your personality naturally coming through? I am naturally a happy person. What you see in my posts is really me, no pretensions at all.

Thanks Leah!